Crochet a Dishcloth That Looks Knitted Using the Tunisian Knit Stitch in Crochet
The BIG, Thirsty, Spill Mopper Dishcloth
If you crochet this pattern exactly, you’ll end up with a dishcloth that’s a bit bigger and thicker than is typical. In all honesty, this dishcloth is a little cumbersome to use for ordinary dishwashing and tidying tasks. But where this dishcloth really shines: If you spill something, and you don’t want to burn through a roll of paper towels cleaning up the mess, you’ll be really glad to have a couple of these absorbent dishcloths in your drawers.
But if this isn’t exactly the type of dishcloth you were hoping to work on, check out our list of free dishcloth and washcloth patterns to see a bunch more options.
Related Resources: Kitchen Crafts | Tunisian Crochet Patterns | Tunisian Crochet Stitches
Crochet a Dishcloth That Looks Partly Knitted and Part Crocheted:
This dishcloth is entirely crocheted, but at first glance it looks like knitting and crocheting combined. The body of the dishcloth is worked using Tunisian knit stitch, a crochet stitch that, from the front of the work, looks amazingly similar to knitted stockinette stitch.
Skill Level: Beginner
This dishcloth is easy enough for a determined beginner to crochet, although the Tunisian knit stitch isn’t typically the first stitch a beginner would learn. It’s also a quick crochet project that a crafter of any skill level could enjoy.
Craft Supplies You’ll Need for Crocheting This Dishcloth Pattern:
You’ll need the following materials to crochet this dishcloth:
Yarn:
Worsted weight kitchen cotton yarn
Crochet Hook:
You’ll need a Tunisian crochet hook / afghan crochet hook in size J. To accommodate the necessary number of stitches, you’ll want to use a hook that measures at least 10 inches long.
Other: Tapestry Needle for weaving in ends
Gauge:
Stitch gauge = 4 Tunisian knit stitches per inch.
Row gauge is not critical for this project.
Finished Size:
The finished dishcloth measures approximately 8.5 inches square, including the edging. Before adding the edging, the piece of Tunisian knit stitch alone measures approximately 6.5 inches square.
Crochet Abbreviations Used in This Dishcloth Pattern
- ch = chain
- ch-2 space = chain-2 space, the space created when you worked a ch-2 in the previous round
- rs = right side
- sc = single crochet
- sl st = slip stitch
- st = stitch
Special Stitch: Tunisian knit stitch
How to Crochet the Dishcloth
Ch 26. Work a square in Tunisian knit stitch. When you crochet the first row, be sure to work into the backs of the chain chain stitches. (You can see pictures and instructions for how to do this in the Tunisian Knit Stitch Tutorial, linked above).
After the square is complete, work 1 sl st into the vertical bar of each stitch across. You’ll end up with a total of 25 sl sts. Do not turn.
Dishcloth Edging Round 1: Continue working with rs facing. Working in single crochet, make 26 evenly spaced sc sts down the side of the dishcloth. (This will be the left side if you’re right-handed, and it will probably be the right side if you crochet left-handed.) ch 2 to form the corner, then crochet another 26 evenly spaced sc sts into the remaining free loops of the starting chain, ch 2 for corner, crochet another 26 evenly spaced sc sts up the other side of the piece, ch 2, work 25 sc sts across the top of the piece — one st in each of the sl sts you worked into the vertical bars. ch 2, join the end of the round to the beginning with a sl st.
Dishcloth Edging Round 2: sc in each st around. When you get to the corners, work 1 sc st into the ch-2 space, ch 2, work another sc st into the same ch 2 space, then continue working sc all the way around. At the end of the round, ch 2, then join the end of the round to the beginning with a sl st.
Repeat row 2 as many times as desired. I worked 3 rounds total, but you can do more rounds if you want to make your dishcloth bigger. If you crochet fewer rounds, the dishcloth may curl up a bit, since Tunisian knit stitch tends to curl.
Related Needlework Resources You Might Enjoy
You’re invited to check out our other free crochet dishcloth patterns, and our other DIY kitchen crafts.
Learn More About Tunisian Crochet
Posted By: Amy Solovay
This page was last updated on 6-23-2023.